The Sacrifices We Make
by Zephyr Fyrian
Summary: Katara of the Southern Water Tribe was not a reckless girl. That is, until Prince Zuko of the Fire Nation crashes his ship into her home and demands the Avatar. In order to keep her village and her new friend safe, she offers Zuko her help in exchange for him to leave her village and people in peace. She intends to lie, but what happens when she begins to fall for Prince Zuko?


**(A/N) Okay. I debated for a long time about putting this up. READ AT YOUR OWN RISK. There is a possible chance that I might not update for a while, what with _The Essence of Life_ and MY life getting in the way. ALSO: There is another possibility that this story won't ever get finished. I sincerely hope that it does, but I won't make promises I cannot keep. You have been warned.**

 **Happy Reading!**

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 _ **The Sacrifices We Make**_

 _ **Chapter One: Goodbye Sokka**_

Katara of the Southern Water Tribe wasn't a necessarily a reckless girl. That is, until she met Aang the airbender. She was devastated when Sokka banished Aang and was prepared to leave her home because of it, and if that wasn't reckless, she didn't know what was.

Now, as she stood in her village and watched a Fire Nation ship crash into the wall surrounded them, breaking their only defense (besides Sokka, that is), she realized they might really needed Aang's airbending.

"Sokka!" Katara screamed as the front of the ship began to lower; straight on top on Sokka. "Move!"

Luckily, Sokka did manage to jump out of the way at the last moment, sprawling across the snow with his sword. He glanced back to check on Katara before turning his attention back to the Fire Navy ship. Katara watched as five men strode out of the maw of the ship, each one dressed in Fire Nation red.

Katara's eyes widened as she took in the one who led the group; he couldn't have been much older than Sokka! He was clad in the armor of the Fire Nation, his helmet that of an official. His eyes were golden yellow, like a hawk's, and he watched the village suspiciously. As Katara watched, Sokka decided to attack and he rushed forward, yelling and swinging his sword. The young man in front easily disarmed Sokka with a kick and with another kick, sent Sokka flying over the edge of the ramp.

"Sokka!" she cried before she could stop herself. The young man's eyes flickered towards her as he reached the end of the ramp, freezing her to the spot.

"Where is he?" demanded the young man, his fierce yellow eyes narrowing dangerously. His voice was low and rasping, hoarse from yelling perhaps. Katara noticed with a start that the left side of his face had been brutally burnt, leaving an angry red mark across his left eye. She vaguely wondered if his vision was impared because of it.

"I said, _where is he!?"_ the young man stepped forward and grabbed Gran Gran by the hood of her parka and dragged her forward. "He'd be about this age?"

Katara furrowed her brow; who was he looking for?

The young man glowered when he recieved no answer and thrust Gran Gran back to them.

"I ask you, _where is the airbender!?"_ he roared, swinging his fist and shooting fire in an arc.

Katara gasped. He was looking for _Aang!_

"Haaaaah!" yelled Sokka, running at the firebender and leaping into the air to bring his sword down on his head. Unfortunately, the young bender was too quick and ducked to avoid the blow. Sokka raised his boomerang, poised to throw when Katara stopped him.

"Wait!" she cried, jumping in front of Sokka, not wanting him to head into a fight he couldn't win.

The young man's eyes flashed to hers, his gold irises boring into her very soul.

"Yes, water peasant?" he snapped, irate.

"I-I think I k-know who your l-looking f-for," she stammered, unable to fully articulate her words with the way he was gazing at her.

"You do, do you?" he stepped forward, glaring down at her through narrowed eyes. "Then tell me, water girl, _where is the Avatar?"_

 _"The Avatar?"_ Katara thought. _"Of course! Aang has to be the Avatar; he's the last airbender!"_

"I-I-" Katara paused, looking at Sokka. The firebender grabbed her chin and directed her face to his own.

 _"Where is the Avatar?"_ he growled, his rasping voice sending chills of terror down Katara's spine as she stared into his fiery eyes.

"He's heading to the Earth Kingdom," she whispered, lying to save Aang.

"And how can I trust you aren't lying?" he asked, dragging her closer by the neck of her coat until his nose nearly touched hers.

"Take me with you," she offered, still whispering. "I'll lead you to him, but only if you promise to leave my people be."

Katara could have sworn that his eyes softened a fraction.

"Saving your people, water peasant?" he tilted his head inquisitively. "Honorable, I will say. But what do you think will happen if I _don't_ find the Avatar, and you're lying to me?"

"Do whatever you want then," she set her jaw, lifting her chin to look him straight in the eyes.

"Katara, no!" cried Sokka, standing up to fight.

"Sokka, don't," Katara pleaded. "I'm trying to save you, just trust me."

Sokka opened his mouth to protest, but no sound came out. A few tears rolled down his cheeks.

"You lead me to the Avatar, and I set you free and leave your people alone, agreed?" the firebender rasped, his face slightly less close than it had been before.

"Agreed," Katara whispered, nodding her head slowly.

The young man dropped his hold and signaled for his men to grab her.

"Well then," he smirked, turning to walk back up the ramp. "It's time to hunt the Avatar again. Bring her to my room, I'm going to interrogate her."

Katara was pushed into the bowels of the Fire Navy's ship as it closed and she caught her last glimpse of her brother.

 _"Goodbye, Sokka, Gran Gran,"_ she thought, closing her eyes and hoping that they and Aang would be okay.

The soldiers shoved her through the dull metal corridors of the ship, steering her towards a room at the far back. They pushed her inside and she whirled, wanting to ask a question, but the door was slammed and she was left alone.

Or so she thought.

"Ah, you must be the Water Tribe girl they informed me of." said a pleasant, accented voice from behind her.

Katara turned to see a short, rather round old man with grey hair, part of which was pulled into a topknot on his head. He wore Fire Nation style sideburns with a neatly trimmed goatee. He smiled kindly at her and gestured to the table he was seated at.

"Jasmine tea?" he offered, holding a red kettle.

"Oh, yes, thank you." Katara quickly walked over and sat down opposite him, her back facing the door. The gentle old man poured the tea into a small cup and handed it to her.

"My favorite is ginseng tea, but at the moment, our resources are limited." he chuckled slightly, sipping his own tea. "It would be nice to have some food, I suppose I could ask for some when a guard stops by."

"Are you a captive too?" Katara blurted, setting her tea down.

The old man smiled gently at her and sipped his tea again before answering.

"Oh, no," he chuckled again. "I am Iroh, a retired general."

"Iroh?" Katara's eyes went wide. "Firelord Ozai's brother?"

Iroh smiled and patted her hand.

"Yes, but I'm afraid my nephew has been banished, so I left with him." Iroh laughed and refilled his cup of tea.

"What? Why?" Katara found herself asking. She wasn't sure why she wasn't angry; the Fire Nation _had_ killed her mother; but she didn't think that Iroh was much of a threat. At least, not now. Not yet. That young man who had brought her here however, _he_ was another story.

"Oh, it's a terribly long tale," Iroh sighed, setting his teacup down. "Perhaps I'll tell you sometime. Are you going to be staying with us for a while?"

Katara shrugged.

"I think so," she didn't know what else to say, really. "I'm supposed to help the Fire Nation find the Avatar."

Iroh smiled knowingly.

"Ah, I understand," there was something in his eyes, some kind of twinkle that made her wary. "Now, about that food-"

General Iroh's next words were cut off by a loud slam as the door was forced open and Katara heard labored breathing behind her.

"Leave," the rasping voice of the young firebender snapped, causing Katara to jump. "I want to talk to her _alone."_

Something in the way he said 'alone' gave Katara chills. Iroh seemed to sense it as well, because he gave Katara a worried look, before standing up and walking out, taking his teacup with him.

"Good luck," she thought she heard him mutter as he passed her.

The door slammed after Iroh left and the firebender walked past her and sat down in Iroh's vacated seat. Now that he had removed his helmet Katara could see the entirety of the burn scar that blazed across his left eye and back to his ear. His head was shaved, except for a ponytail at the back of his head. In the dark red firelight of the cabin, his molten gold eyes shone even brighter.

"So," he began, eyes boring into her skull. "Where has the Avatar been hiding for the past hundred years?"

Katara didn't see how that information would really hurt her or Aang, so she told him.

"Apparently, he was encased in an air bubble of ice underneath the sea." she explained, her voice wavering slightly.

The young man didn't answer; instead, he stood up and walked over to a curtain bearing the Fire Nation insignia.

"May I ask a question?" she said quietly.

Yellow eyes burned into her temple as he watched her.

"You may," he said slowly, turning to face her once more.

"Why is General Iroh on board with you?" she raised her chin to meet his gaze, but found his eyes too intense to look into properly. "And where's his nephew? He told me that his nephew was banished-"

Katara froze when the young man whipped around and prowled over, gripping the arms of the small chair she sat in. She stared up into his blazing eyes(the left one only slightly less bright, as it was permanently half-closed) as he leaned over her until she could feel his hot, fiery breath against her cheeks and lips.

 _"Is he going to kiss me?"_ Katara briefly wondered.

"First of all, Uncle Iroh has no right to be blabbing to a pathetic little water girl like you," the firebender hissed. Wait, uncle? Oh no, this wasn't- "And second of all, _I'm_ his nephew. The son of Ozai and Ursa, Fire Prince Zuko."

Katara's breathing hitched and her heartbeat spiked. She had bartered herself off to the son of the Firelord.

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 **(A/N) If you like this story, and would like to see more of it, PLEASE leave a review. I'm not begging you to, you aren't obligated to, but this story is already on shaky ground, so feedback is greatly appreciated. Thank you for reading and understanding.**


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